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International Program Development Fund (IPDF) grant winner

Dr Rahena Akhter from the Faculty of Dentistryhas been awarded an IPDF grant for her project titled Jaw muscle pain and jaw motor function.

"Our main aim is to improve the management of chronic orofacial pain by providing fundamental information on mechanisms," said Dr Akhter.

Dr Akhter will collaborate with Osaka University which was ranked in 2010-11 as being in the top 20 institutions in Asia by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

She will work in Professor Yoshida's research laboratory assisting in the development of projects that will improve the management of patients with chronic orofacial pain.

This collaboration will build international exchange opportunities for Dentistry students and international experience for staff. It will also help build partnerships and networks. Through this collaboration, the faculty will be able to further fulfill the strategic goals of the University by developing its capacity for excellence in teaching and research.

The dean of the faculty, Professor Chris Peck, said Dr Akhter's proposed research would also help in curriculum development by ensuring students receive integrated, coherent learning experiences on chronic orofacial pain and the etiological mechanisms that might be involved. The outcome of such collaboration would have significant therapeutic implications in management of chronic pain - helping society both locally and globally.